News24 reports that a chartered accountant's plea for a fine instead of a prison sentence failed when the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sentenced him to an effective six years in prison for fraud, theft and money laundering in connection with Covid-19 relief funds.
Mark Jonathan Vorster was sentenced on Wednesday. The magistrate sentenced him to six years for 11 counts of fraud, two years for theft and four years for money laundering worth more than R800,000. He ordered that the sentences be served concurrently, which means Vorster will only serve six years behind bars. Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Vorster pleaded guilty to the charges and asked the court to impose a fine. Vorster pointed out that he had paid back the money. Mahanjana indicated: "Between April 2020 and August 2020, Vorster would apply for the Covid-19 TERS on behalf of his clients, and after receiving payouts, he would transfer the funds to his bank account." The Covid-19 Temporary Employee/Employer Relief Scheme (TERS) was a fund the government set up during the Covid-19 pandemic to help companies pay their staff. In aggravation of Vorster's sentence, the prosecutor asked the court to send Vorster to prison. He submitted that Vorster had betrayed the position of trust given to him.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tshepiso Motloung at News24
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